Starting off the new year

 Trying to make sure I get some time in my sewing area during the week in the new year...no, it's not a new year resolution...I don't believe in them...mainly, I wouldn't stick to them!  HA.  I've been a tad lax in quilting and I do enjoy the process, which I discovered when making the quilt totes for Christmas.  So, with the new great grand 'boy' baby due in June, I've started to look at fabrics in my stash (I showed two examples of test blocks) in my last post.  I also started to look at patterns online and fabric!  Who knew!  I been a fan of Karlee Porter and you may remember her book Graffiti Quilting.  Yep, I bought it years ago.   I follow her on Instagram and she was quilting a 'puffy' quilt using fabric from Charley Harper.  

OK, I never heard of Charley Harper but I did go to the web site because some of the fabrics Karlee was using looked adorable.  So, yep, an early BD gift for me!  And look at what all I bought!  I am actually thinking of using the dog fabric as a center for some squares...

Wouldn't he be cute as the center of a block...blocks could be scattered throughout the top...and perhaps some abstract design...oh the mind is working!

This is the the Western Bird bundle.  So cute!!!!

Holiday fabrics are really adorable as well.  

If you go to the Charley Harper web site, you'll read about this interesting painter/artist!  Love his work!  Do check out the tab 'about Charley'.  I think you'll find him quite interesting.

I think this fabric and Holiday would be fun to make a runner for Christmas next year...but I'll have to get the baby quilt finished as well as my knitting!  

Final projects for 2022!

I'm not saying these are final/finished projects for 2022!  HA  Only saying what I am working on!  First off, I made 12 of the totes I posted on earlier in December!  What fun to cut up quilts! 

I made this one for our great grand daughter, Rilynn.  I up for Christmas some crayons and colored pencils.

I don't think I got a picture of all of the totes together....but you get the idea!

Yes, in between time, sometimes every 7 days!, I would knit!  I finally finished all the lace work so now I'm working on the body of the sweater.  This one will have 3/4 sleeves so maybe this will work for Easter this year! 

And great news!!!  Kayla & Nate are expecting their 2nd baby, a boy! in June!  Everyone is very excited and so I thought I'd better get busy on at least thinking about make another baby quilt.  This is the first great grand baby quilt I made for Rilynn, their first baby.

So I'm playing around with some designs to make for a baby boy!  I think the sail boats would be best but I don't want square blocks with the ship...of course not!  HA  Not exactly sure what I'll do but I have a few months to figure it out!  What else am I doing, right!  HA

I saw this dog quilt block but didn't use their measurements, of course not!  He's cute but I think the sail boats would be best...but...I'll keep looking and playing around with designs..in between knitting!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY READERS..I hope 2023 is a wonderful year for us all!

Christmas 2022!

As with most bloggers, we (OK, maybe just me??) have been defunct in posting...but that's ok...for the most part this blog is my journal for the year.  So what have we been up to?  Preparing for the close of 2022!  For the first time in two years, my kids were able to be here, IN PERSON, for our annual Christmas Eve celebration!  Yes, I was so excited...of course we ate, ate some more, took pics, ate, opened presents and ate dessert!  So here is our 2022 Christmas with my kids...I'll be posting other projects I'm doing later this week!  

Our little family!

Jeff and Dawn

Darrin and Kris

Darrin and his family

Nick and his girlfriend, Braylon...and yes, I have a great picture of Nick later in this post!

Yes, lots of food...we usually each bring 4, 5 or 6! different appetizers vs having a big dinner!  Yes, all of these dishes make for a big dinner!!!  Such fun and filling!!! 

 

My daughter-in-law, Kris made this peanut butter pie!  Oh my!

And my daughter, Dawn, did a recipe twist on Hello Dollo Cookies by using a chocolate cookie crust vs graham cracker crust!  Really good!!!!

Of course, each of us made a trays of cookies!  Oh my gosh...I have so many cookies left in the freezer!

this is Braylon, Nick's girlfriend, and she's a sweetheart.  Darrin and Kris got Nick two tickets to the Red Wings Hockey game January 4th. so  Braylon is all set for the game, at least with her hat!

Amber got two tickets to the PINK concert in August!  She got a cool Pink T shirt too....she was really excited!  So happy for both kids...these were special gifts from their parents!

And yes, my grandson, does smile!

Kalee was SO bored or tired!  HA

Eating of course!

Just some of the appetizers...Dawn made pizza bread that was fantastic!

These are really good veggie baked appetizers...I love them.  Trader Joe's!

My counter was FULL!!!!!  And it's a long counter!

And my sweetheart, Amber, showing off her PINK concert tickets!  

It was wonderful having the kids in person again!  We are so blessed to have a great family...we did miss Bob's kids but Ron (Bob's son) and wife, MJ, will be here to watch the college championship game in January!  Looking forward to seeing them.  We did get to talk Christmas Day but will be nice to see them in person!  Happy New Year to all my readers, if any remain!  

Upcycled Purses

 My readers know I am fond of Linda/Laura Kemshall's, DesignMattersTV web site.  A year ago they had a video on 'upcycled purses', which I did purchase but I never did make any.  I saw in one of their recent posts they were showcasing it again so I watched!   And then I got out some of my older quilts to cut up!

This was my first tote!  It's leftovers from a quilt I did years and years ago from the pattern, Illusions, by Carol Fallert.  I only had pieces of this leftover from the quilt because I've made other items from it!

The inside is lined and not sure you can see but Laura has a cool way of adding little pieces of fabric to the ends of the zipper, which makes for a really neat and easy way to insert the zipper!

This was  a quilt I made a few years ago.  The sun flower was all beaded!

But I think it ended up being a cute purse.  THese are only around 7-8" x 6".  I added some embroidery to the quilted fabric because it was too plain. 

See the blue pieces at the zipper ends?  Clever and makes for a neat finish!

I made this shibori piece/quilt a long time ago!  So, since it's just sitting around, time to cut it up too!

I think it made a nice tote/purse!

This quilt was done for our yearly exhibit in 2009...exhibit was 'inspired by Aubrey Beardsley.

I'll get two totes from this quilt

I'm making these for little Christmas gifts for the girls.  Only need about 6 more!  But I'm having fun making them!

Thanksgiving 2022

 

Another wonderful dinner at Darrin and Kris' home!!! Both kids were home from college and Nick/Braylon actually had some turkey dinner with us before heading to Braylon's house with her family for Thanksgiving!  HA

This post is primarily pictures for my 2022 Blog Book so not in any particular order!

Yes, we had tons of dessert!!!  YUM

Kris decorates their home so beautifully each year!

Kris mom has gifted her this little guys

Every little nook is filled with decorations!

So beautiful!

And her dinner setting is always awesome!

and the best Thanksgiving dinner, as usual.  Kris makes the BEST mashed potatoes!  And her turkey is always perfect!

Caught Nick and Braylon on the steps for a pic!

Kris filled us up with appetizers before hand...YUM

It is football time you know!!!

Kris' mom is so sweet!  She had this little guy sitting in our car when we left!!!!

And this metal tag was on the bag!  How sweet!!!  Thanks, Nancy!